F1 | Bottas confident about the new season

Last season, the then Alfa Romeo (now Sauber), did not collect much, finishing in ninth position in the constructors' championship with just 16 points. The team appeared stuck regarding its development path and was unable to improve the overall performance of the C43 during 2023. With the arrival of James Key as technical director in September, the Swiss team began to lay the foundations for the development of the single-seater which will be, according to insiders, "completely new".

“It was nice to have some different points of view from different people, and James was fantastic,” said Valtteri Bottas, interviewed by Speedcafe.

“He's already found different paths and different ways of proceeding with the new car, and our team has some reasonably good people from other teams, bigger teams, working in the aerodynamic department, so we're just taking people who can think a little bit. 'outside the box'.

Aside from Key's arrival, the team has continued to hire staff since Andreas Seidl took over as CEO of the Sauber Group a year ago. Bottas has no doubt that the changes have been crucial in leading the team on a new path.

“Some people left, some came. People have moved on to different positions, even the engineering team. We've done some restructuring within the team that probably not many people are aware of. It was needed. We had to change things, and change is good. This is what we needed. That's why I have hopes for next season."

As for what Bottas wants to see from this year's car, he admits he's not a particularly demanding driver.

“I want to have control of the car where I want it, and with a bit of understeer it's often tricky, so I'm definitely a bit more fussy in terms of how the car behaves.”

Bottas believes the overall efficiency of the new car will be crucial.

“In terms of set-up and set-up, last year's car was quite good. We didn't have much trouble maintaining the handling and at times the ride almost felt too good. It was more a question of performance that we lacked. Last year, to match the straight line speed of our rivals, we had to run with a lower wing. This means less downforce, and there was a lack of efficiency."

Bottas insists he would like a car with more downforce, even if that means more handling difficulties.

“Ultimately, with today's cars, this is the way to go. It is necessary to maximize the load. Regardless of whether it impacts ride or handling, it will still be faster.”

The Finn acknowledges that while this year's car "will be very different", he appreciates that there will be "an unknown as to what the handling will be like".

“It's interesting when you work with a new car and new concepts, so there's a lot of hope for the new season.”